The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-06-10
OUR L0ND0 ] LETTER.
LONDON. May, 2Sth, 1887

seems to be an American and the
long black winter, that is hardly pass
ed yet, for the weather is still anything
but spring like, seems dream, as the
familiar faces reappear who greeted
me year ago in the same place.
Notwithstanding the weather, the
London Season is already in full swing
and the Society papers are filled with
all sorts of concerts, balls and routs,
aud coaching club parties taking place,
and the racing season inaugurated by
the 'Derby" will form procession of
important events.
Tuesday was the Queens birthday,
and beyond the illuminations, which
are customary in the evening, very
little notice was taken of it, her Males
ty being at Balmorel, in Scotland,
where she confined her rejoicngs to
the bestowal of small gifts upon the
members of her household with her
own hands.
Wednesday was Derby day--with its
usual scenes, which have been so
often described. The day was hardly
fine one, consequently the attendance
was not as great as last year; the ex-
citement, however, was immense on
the discovery that dark horse had
won the ribbon. All the Americans
in London were there. Two coaches
went from the American Exchange,
two from the American Exhibition, and
one from the columbia" Club "a new
American Club Just instituted). On
the latter coach was Major John M.
Burke, of the "Wild West" who, with
his big "sombrero" and long hair was
mistaken by the mass for "Buffalo Bill"
and the feelings of the people was
shown by the fact that their route was
one succession of cheers during the six
teen miles to the Derby course ana
back. If anything, the excitement was
increased by the fact that Major Burke
carried bag-tull of half-pence which
he scattered literally amongst the
street arabs who thronged the waysde.
AT the Drawing Room last week,
the Queen, being indisposed, did not
attend, leaving the Princess of Wales
to represent her.
The Princess, accompanied by the
Princess Maud attended by one Lady
only and Colonel Gardiner, paid sec
ond visit to the American Exhibition
after the drawing room. She arrived
at about eight o'clock, paid for her ad-
mission like anyone else and went in
with the crowd. She was discovered,
however, by Major Burke and Town
send Percy, who carried out the wishes
that she should be screened from obser-
vation as much as possible, and be allow
ed to remain incog.; to that end she was
shown into a private box some distance
from the Royal Box, where she re.
mained until the end of the "Wild
West" programme without being recog-
nized. After the performance, she
visited Col. Cody in his tent, and drank
tea with him, and inspected the whole
of the camp, and after wandering
around the Exhi!'ition AMI making a
few trif1ing purchases, she left as quiet
ly as she came, saying she had passed
one of the pleasantest evenings of her
life.
Among the other visitors this week,
were the Grand Duke aud Grand
Duchess of SAKE Meiningen, the oldest
Royal Blood in Europe, with the ex-
ception of the Cologna family in Italy.
On Thursday the Hon. E. V. Phelps,
United States Minister, plenipotentiary
to the Court of st. James, paid visit
to the Exhibition. He was visited in
his box by Mr.. John r. Whitley, Di.
rector-General of the American Exhi-
bition, who presented him to M. Bar
tholdi, the celebrated sculptor of the
"Statue of Liberty" in New York Har-
bour, and who is here putting the final
touches to his diorama of New York
Bay, the building for which has just
been completed in the centre of the
gardens.
In the Courtyard in front of the en-
trance to the main building has been
erected, by order of Director Gener al
Whitley, one of the houses which form
ed part of the much talked of sold Lon.
don" at the South Kensington Exhibi-
tions, and which was enormously re-
ported had been taken intact to Ameri.
ca. 1t is to be used as the box-office
for the "Wild West" thus forming a
striking and grotesque instance of the
changes which time makes, and the
gateway TO the "Wild West" is now az
formerly through sold London
'Imperial Caesar dead and turned to clay
May stop flaw to keep the wind away"
| The machinery is in place now, and
the huge engine which moves it is al
object of great interest. The flowers
are springing up in the gardens, and
the Whole Exhibition presents a gals
aspect. The visitors average over 80,
| 900 per diem, and the complete success.
both artistic and financial, of the Exhi
bition is now conceded on every hand
| AS an example of how great tn,
American craze is in London, at fanc,
fair held at Earl Spencer's House, il
st, James, and which was attended b,
the Princess of Wales, the Princes
Iolise, the Dowager Duchess of Mari
boro', Earl aud Lady Granville ant
daughters, and half the Peerage
satin fan, containing a sketch of "Ret
Shjrt" in black and white by his Cow
boy, artist "Freuzeuy" surrounded b,
the autographs of Buffalo Bill and tn,
Members of his Company, was sold b,
auction by Townsend Percy, who act
ed as auctioneer at the request of Lad,
Granville on the occasion, for nearl,
fifty guineas. The proceeds went TO
the relief of distress in Donegal, Ire
land.
Mrs. James Brown-P Potter is likel,
to achieve great success, artistically
on the occasion of her second appear
ance at the Gaiety Theatre, next month
That curious thing "public opinion
has now swung round and it is the gen
eral sentiment in drawing-rooms an,
elsewh ere that she has been a yer
badly treated woman, and everybod,
purposes to go in and do what he o
she can to make amends for the in
justice shown her on the occasion O.
her DEBUT
l met the other day Miss Dor THY
Dene, who has been painted into
celebrity by Sir Frederick Leighton
and photographed by every photooraph